


Sunkissed

by LeChatRouge673



Series: Kissing Day 2017 [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 23:40:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12069339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeChatRouge673/pseuds/LeChatRouge673
Summary: Part of the Kissing Day 2017 celebration on tumblr, written for @poweredbycoffeeandwine. :)





	Sunkissed

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Kissing Day 2017 celebration on tumblr, written for @poweredbycoffeeandwine. :)

_Kissing Day, 9:42 Dragon_

 

“Come on, Nathaniel, this will be fun.”

“Cat, my love, my everything… we spent _three hours_ raking those leaves yesterday,” Nathaniel protested weakly, trying not to smile and knowing this was an argument he was never going to win. He was not entirely certain he cared. “I am not even sure why they are already falling; summer is only just over.”

Cataline shrugged, the sleeve of her oversized sweater slipping down and exposing her shoulder, and he bent down to brush a brief kiss against the soft ivory skin. She looked up at him, a sweet smile playing over her lips. “Don’t do that… we only just managed to drag ourselves out of the bedroom, and I would like to spend at least _some_ of Kissing Day enjoying this gorgeous weather before I go to meet Lel and Alistair and Zev. And you know if you don’t show up this afternoon, Thea will come track you down.”

“Like the void,” Nathaniel replied drily. “She would let us get carried away, and then she would be absolutely impossible tonight when we go over, so you’re right: we should probably _not_ continue my line of thinking.”

Cat laughed, the sound a bright music against the autumn air. The day was still slightly cool, but the sun was high and Nathaniel knew it would warm up sooner rather than later. They wandered outside, walking with no particular hurry towards the most impressive pile of leaves they had raked up. Cat had insisted that they could wait to bag them until the next day, and now he knew why.

“Do you remember when we used to do this when we were younger?” She asked softly. “Of course, you were probably too old… Thea insisted we do it even after we were in our teens, but I am not sure I remember you ever joining in, despite her teasing.”

Nathaniel chuckled quietly. “I think she managed to persuade me a couple times. Or maybe ‘push’ would be a more accurate term. For as small as she is, your cousin has some force behind her. Those aren’t the memories I held onto, though.” He paused, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. “I remember walking outside and finding you hip deep in the crispest, most colorful autumn leaves, and I remember you falling backwards with the purest, most joyful laughter I had ever heard. I remember the way your eyes lit up when you smiled, and I remember how my heart skipped a beat every time you turned that smile towards me.”

Cataline leaned up on her toes, fitting her body against his and meeting his lips with her own. Nathaniel bent down and kissed her, still not quite believe that she had chosen him; that she loved him. Even after they parted, his eyes remained closed for a moment. “I love you, Wildflower,” he whispered against her cheek.

“I love you too, Nathaniel,” she smiled. “More every day.” Cat reached up a hand and brushed a strand of hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear before she leaned up and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek.

“We’re still jumping in those leaves, though.”

He laughed. “Of course, my love. You first.”

Cataline shot him one more brilliant grin, then took a running start before she leapt gracefully into the largest pile, sending leaves flying skyward before they began fluttering to the ground. With a small shake of his head and biting back a grin of his own, Nathaniel followed her, chuckling at the surprised shriek from Cataline as he landed beside her. She rolled into his arms and he held her there as they both dissolved into fits of laughter, the sound carrying through the air and mingling with the sunlight as it warmed their skin. Cat’s lips found his and they lay there kissing amidst the leaves, completely oblivious to the world around them. When she finally pulled away, Nathaniel saw just a hint of concern in her eyes, but what she said next was not what he was expecting.

“Nathaniel?”

“Yes, Cat?”

She shifted so that she was lying beside him, her head still resting against his shoulder but her eyes gazing at the sky as clouds sailed lazily across the brilliant blue of the sky. “Does it bother you that I’ll be having lunch with my friends this afternoon instead of staying with you?”

Nathaniel frowned slightly, running his thumb over her arm in a gentle pattern. “Of course not, Cat. This day isn’t just about us: it’s about our friends and our family, too. Does it bother you that I’ll be spending the afternoon with Thea?”

“No, but Thea is Thea,” Cat laughed. “The two of you are so close you might as well be siblings. Besides, that woman has known we would end up together ever since we were children. I guess I just meant… well… you know Alistair will be there.”

He snorted softly. “I am not exactly threatened by Alistair, Cat. First of all, I trust _you_ , and I trust us. Second, I know for a fact that Alistair is utterly devoted to his own wife, so I’m not exactly concerned about him trying anything with you. Third, even if he _did_ try something, you know Thea would find out, and she would kick his ass.”

Cat gave an exasperated sigh, but he could tell she was smiling. “All of that is true, but… I’m glad to hear you say it. I don’t deserve you, you know that, right?”

“True,” Nathaniel leaned over and brushed a kiss against the tip of her nose, prompting another giggle. “You deserve someone better. But I’m glad you settled for me.”

“Nathaniel Adrian Howe, I did _not_ settle,” Cataline retorted with mock indignation. “I waited ten damn years for the man I wanted; that I loved more than anyone else. I would not call that settling. ‘Settling’ would have been accepting anyone other than you.”

“Fair enough,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her cheek before tracing a path down her neck.

A small moan escaped from her lips and Cat arched her back slightly towards him before she let herself fall back against the leaves, pressing her hands against his shoulders and meeting his eyes. “Didn’t we _just_ have this conversation?”

He nodded, but did not stop. “We did.”

“And didn’t we decide we wanted to enjoy the day outside before we had to meet the others?” She asked, her voice hitching slightly as his hands slipped under the hem of her sweater.

“We did.”

Cat wrapped her arms around his neck. “We’re going back inside, aren’t we?” She gave a small shriek as he stood, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her laughing back towards the house.

“Yes. Yes we are.”


End file.
